I saw two African American men in two separate 1990s GMC Safari minivans (one maroon, one brown) steal a converter off the bottom of a truck this morning parked on the block of 300 South Sangamon. They left and were going down other streets to look for cars to steal from. If you have a SUV or truck with a converter underneath, be careful where you park or don't park on the street. They look for cars that are high up so they can get under them to steal the converter.

If you have your catalytic converter stolen and you have car insurance (as I think is required in the state of IL - could be wrong) then it is in the best interest of the owner of the vehicle to report the crime to the police. In order for me...

If you have your catalytic converter stolen and you have car insurance (as I think is required in the state of IL - could be wrong) then it is in the best interest of the owner of the vehicle to report the crime to the police. In order for me to have had any sort of compensation from my insurance for the loss I was required to make a report to the police. I think that is standard practice amongst insurance companies.

Saying that, I am sure not all of these types of thefts are reported (uninsured, unregistered, etc.) but for the typical driver that has insurance on their vehicle, they'd certainly want the loss to be covered, at least partially by their insurance company so they'd most likely need to file a report.

Andrew Rafacz Gallery, located at 835 W. Washington Blvd., will be presenting a solo exhibition of Peter Skvara's paintings and installations today from...

Gapers Block Slowdown Calendar

Pilsen's Fiesta del Sol, the largest Latino culture festival in the Midwest, runs July 30 to Aug. 2 on Cermak Roadd from Morgan to Loomis. The festival features live music on two stages, an arts and culture pavilion, kids' area, a soccer tournament, food vendors, carnival rides and more.

Alprentiss Nash, 40, was fatally shot in the chest Tuesday afternoon in the 1600 block of West Van Buren, according to his attorney and police.

Man Wrongfully Jailed Killed by Man He Tried to Rob

Police say a man who was released from prison after having spent 17 years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit was fatally shot in Chicago while trying to rob someone on the city's Near West Side, police said.

With the college moving into a new building just to the north in January, the city is clearing way for the Stanley Cup champion Hawks to divvy up the Malcolm X site, 1900 W. Van Buren St., with Rush University Medical Center.

Blackhawks to Build New Practice Center on Site of Malcolm X College

UNITED CENTER PARK - The Blackhawks are getting their own long-desired practice facility on the site of what is currently Malcolm X College, and city residents are expected to benefit. With the college moving into a new building just to the north in January, the city is clearing way for the Stanley Cup champion Hawks to divvy up the Malcolm X site with Rush University Medical Center.

Initial reports said that Nash died during an attempted armed robbery outside a currency exchange in the 1600 block of Van Buren on Tuesday afternoon. But a police source says Nash was actually the robber in a "drug deal gone bad."

Exonerated Man Was Shot By His Drug-Dealing Partner in Self Defense: Source

NEAR WEST SIDE - The man exonerated of murder after spending 17 years in jail - only to be shot dead on the Near West Side this week - was killed by his alleged drug-dealing partner in a robbery gone bad, a top police source told DNAinfo.com.

Eating local is great, but what if you can't make it to the farmer's market every Saturday morning? Or what if you need a last minute bunch of chard for a Friday dinner party (hey, it happens!) and the farmers market is done for the day?

Don't-miss picks for Wednesday, July 29 through August 4, 2015 Readings: Celebrity cooking's foremost straight-shooter and the host of the lauded CNN show Parts Unknown comes to town to gab about his travels in this one-night only talk. 7/30 at 7. $56.50-$211.50. Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress.

"A new sports apparel shop has opened near the area, and the corner of Madison and Ashland and Ogden avenues has seen a resurgence. Madison and Damen Avenue, however, are still a far cry from business meccas."

The [Thursday] Papers

"Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will announce Thursday the city has come to an agreement with the Blackhawks for the team to build its new practice facility and community ice center on the site currently occupied by Malcolm X College, which is just south of the United Center," the Tribune reports.

Don't-miss picks for Wednesday, July 29 through August 4, 2015 Readings: Celebrity cooking's foremost straight-shooter and the host of the lauded CNN show Parts Unknown comes to town to gab about his travels in this one-night only talk. 7/30 at 7. $56.50-$211.50. Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress.

KURIOS--Cabinet of Curiosities is at United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., from August 6 until September 20. Tickets range from $35 to $145. Even better, as...

Cirque du Soleil's KURIOS-Cabinet of Curiosities at United Center-Interview with director Michel Laprise

Circus Thu Jul 30 2015 Cirque du Soleil is coming to Chicago this August with their production KURIOS-Cabinet of Curiosities, a show which promises to touch on Cirque du Soleil's roots, to convey a message of optimism to all ages and to give us a good dose of steam punk mechanics.

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EveryBlock collects 25 types of news in Chicago — including articles, real estate listings, meetups and conversations neighbors are having — and organizes it by location. Here is all the recent news and discussion near Near West Side.